So Far, The Best Day At Shea This Year

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER
Photos By Emanuel Gold

Since I first started writing a weekly column, sometime back in the early 80s, it has, under various names, been a varied mix of politics, publishing and personal topics. Election season, politics dominated; special editions or unique stories caused the column to take on a publishing slant; and those occasions or events, which moved me were the subject of personal reflection.

Until now, I don’t believe that one subject merged all three — the politics, publishing and personal.

This past weekend, I had the very ticket to the event that touched all three — deeply.

Lil and I attended the wedding of Lauren Ackerman at Shea Stadium — I’m sure you heard about it. But it wasn’t the pre-wedding news that mattered to me, it was an event that was filled with political stories, intertwined with the very existence of this paper and of great personal significance to me and of course my longtime friend and business associate Gary Ackerman, the bride’s father.

Although I may spin a tale or two, let me first state it was a wonderful event — a warm and loving wedding — with a novel, creative twist.

It’s not news — because just about everyone has heard about it — but it was held at Shea Stadium. The ceremony took place at home plate, sadly the weather forced Gary to provide a huge see through tent to shelter us from the continuation of weekend downpours. It didn’t dampen a thing. As a matter of fact during most of the outdoor inside the tent ceremony, the rain was not to be seen.

When guests were seated, before the festivities began, the Ackerman’s youngest kid — a very talented 26-year old-Ari — was announced, walked toward the pitchers mound and sang a beautiful accapella rendition of the national anthem.

You see Lauren and husband Paul Forte are fanatic Met fans and even during this awful season, they wanted to celebrate their vows at the Stadium of their team and dreams.

And so friends and family assembled, walked through the long tunnels to the field, champagne glasses in hand as I thought back to my first experience babysitting.

Yup, the victim was Lauren Ackerman . . . but she was just a couple of months old. My friend Gary was a candidate for local school board (Dist. #25) and it was the first evening of counting votes in a very convoluted proportional representation system and Gary wanted to be there with Rita. I wanted to be there too, but I got Lauren instead.

I’ve had the pleasure of watch her grow since then into a beautiful young children’s book editor who argues with me about capitalization and style books — she’s probably right.

Although Lil and I have been to other weddings of friends ‘ kids, this is the first where I was present from conception on. Well, sort of. I wasn’t there at the moment of conception, but as Gary told the story to the Trib just two weeks ago for our 33 1/3 Anniversary Special Edition: “he conceived of the idea of a community newspaper for Queens, even as his wife Rita conceived of their daughter Lauren.”

I guess it’s true; Lauren and the Trib began simultaneously. And they both grew up pretty darn good. Gary produces good stock.

I’m not the sentimental type and probably couldn’t do justice to the ceremony jointly conducted by the Rabbi that married Lil and me — Charles Agin formerly the spiritual leader of the Flushing Free Synagogue — and Paul’s uncle, Reverend Joseph Modica. I’ll let the photos tell the story.

The political side, I’ll try to spin, briefly.

My photographer for the event was Emanuel Gold.  Manny, whom I’ve known for 36 years, is the attorney to hire if you need smart legal help. He’s the former Deputy Minority Leader of the New York State Senate representing Forest Hills for some 20 years. But in addition to being at the top of the legal game, Manny is a superb photographer. If you run into him, tell him you saw his pictures in the Trib and he should shoot for the paper more often.

It was not a big political convention. It was a personal affair for the Ackermans and the Fortes. Only a very few of Gary’s longtime political chums were present — most of them are pictured on this page.

Now it wasn’t a political event for the Fortes either, but Paul’s dad, Dominick, has an interesting political background of his own, as I discovered when Morty Povman came running over to me.

“Dominick ran against me for Council in 1973,” Povman exclaimed excitedly. “I just discovered it.”

It seems that after Morty replaced a Councilman by the name of Donald Manes — who had become Borough President — the Republicans tested him the next time out with Dominick Forte. Dominick, who I didn’t interview — it was his son’s wedding — has apparently been active in Republican and Conservative politics in Queens for more than three decades.

Mike Long, the Conservative Party chair, was his guest at the wedding. Gary also informed me that Dominick was a contributor to Grant Lally, Ackerman’s Republican opponent a couple of years back — talk about mixed marriages!

Gary and Dominick seem to have become close friends — but it wasn’t election time.  Seriously, watching the two interact demonstrated that families can unite and celebrate mutualities even when there are differences.

Weddings are a time of celebration.

For me this one was very special.

Paul and Lauren — both born and raised in Queens, married at Shea and kids of families well grounded in the principles of community — are one of Queens’ newest family and represent the goodness and future of our borough.

Mazel tov!